Light for at least one led and transmitter for generating a radio signal for such a light

ABSTRACT

A lamp may include at least one LED; a solar module; an accumulator; charging electronics coupled between the solar module and the accumulator; a drive circuit for the at least one LED, which is coupled to the accumulator; a receiver which is coupled to the accumulator and is configured to receive a radio signal; and a processing device which is coupled to the accumulator and the receiver and is configured to form at least one drive signal for the drive circuit from the data received with the radio signal.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a lamp having at least one LED, a solarmodule, an accumulator, charging electronics coupled between the solarmodule and the accumulator, and a drive circuit for the at least oneLED, which is coupled to the accumulator. It furthermore relates to atransmitter for generating a radio signal for such a lamp.

PRIOR ART

A lamp of the species is known. In it, solar energy for the night isstored during the day and, as soon as it is dark, the known lampswitches on automatically and makes it possible for example to identifysidewalks or illuminate house numbers, or is used as a spotlamp or as afloating light or as a garden lamp.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to refine a lamp of the speciesso as to open up further possible uses.

This object is achieved by a lamp having the features of claim 1.According to a second aspect, the present invention also provides atransmitter as claimed in claim 15 for generating a radio signal for alamp according to the invention.

The present invention is based on the discovery that the possible usesof LED lamps of the species can be widened when measures are provided tocontrol a lamp wirelessly. To this end, a lamp according to theinvention includes a receiver which is coupled to the accumulator and isconfigured to receive a radio signal, and a processing device which iscoupled to the accumulator and the receiver and is configured to form atleast one drive signal for the drive circuit from the data received withthe radio signal. Depending on the LED or LEDs used, it is therebypossible to generate colored patterns, color animations or script,particularly in a two-dimensional surface, two- or three-dimensionaltypes of artwork in particular also being envisageable here.

Unlike in the prior art, where there is the risk that different lampswill switch on at different times owing to the production-relateddeviations of the brightness sensors required for switching them on, bywireless driving of an LED lamp according to the invention it ispossible to switch one or more LED lamps on and off simultaneously.

The lamp furthermore preferably includes a memory device coupled to theaccumulator. This provides the opportunity to transmit a light sequencejust once by a radio signal, this light sequence being stored in thememory device and executed either continually or on demand. Inparticular, the memory device stores instructions that specify whichcolor of light is intended to be emitted by a lamp according to theinvention for which duration.

With a view to a large power range of the light to be emitted by thelamp, the lamp preferably includes a voltage transformer, in particulara step-up transformer. The accumulator voltage, which is conventionallyof the order of 2.4 V, can thereby be converted to higher values whichcan then be used to drive the at least one LED.

In this context, it is preferable for the lamp furthermore to include amicrocontroller and a current source.

The at least one LED is preferably an RGB LED. As an alternative, it ispreferable for the lamp to include at least three differently coloredLEDs. This provides the opportunity to drive the lamp in such a way thatthe light emitted by it varies in color.

The memory device preferably includes an address memory which isconfigured to store an address in it so as to allocate address-specificdata, transmitted with the radio signal, to the lamp. In this way, anassembly of a plurality of lamps according to the invention can beassigned different addresses or the same address, and address-specificlight sequences can be transmitted by a transmitter according to theinvention and stored in the memory devices of the respective lamps.Individual lamps or different groups of lamps can thereby emit desiredlight signals at desired times. This furthermore allows subsequentfitting of lamps according to the invention, or replacement of defectivelamps according to the invention, inexpensively since a lamp accordingto the invention does not need to have a transmitter in order toregister the corresponding lamp at a control center.

The lamp particularly preferably includes an activation device, inparticular a pushbutton. By operating the activation device, the lampmay be put into a state in which an address can be entered into thelamp. An address is preferably input before the lamp(s) is/areinstalled. The activation device may in particular be configured, afterit is activated, to put the lamp into a state in which it is configuredto receive an address sent by a radio signal and store it in the addressmemory. It is particularly advantageous for the lamp furthermore to beconfigured to acknowledge successful storage of an address, inparticular by an optical and/or acoustic signal. In this way, anoperator can easily establish whether the transmission and storage of anaddress has succeeded, or whether the process must be repeated.

The lamp may furthermore be configured, when no address has yet beenentered in the address memory, without activation of the activationdevice to enter a state in which it is configured to receive an addresssent by a radio signal and store it in the address memory. This providesthe opportunity to allow initial address transmission without activatingthe activation device.

In a preferred refinement of a lamp according to the invention, theprocessing device includes a chronometer device, which for its partincludes a quartz oscillator. The processing device is then preferablyconfigured to synchronize the chronometer device with corresponding datareceived with the radio signal, the processing device furthermore beingconfigured to put the drive signal for the drive circuit into a temporalrelationship with a signal emitted by the chronometer device, and inparticular synchronize it therewith. This measure provides theopportunity to synchronize different lamps according to the inventionwith one another. For example, synchronization may be carried out everyhour, the quartz oscillator internal to the lamp providing the clocksignal during the hour. According to experience, the range of deviationof a plurality of lamps from one another during an hour is of the orderof 1 to 5 ms and is therefore not conspicuous to an observer.

In a preferred embodiment of a transmitter according to the invention,the transmitter has a memory device for storing the data to be sent withthe radio signal. In this case, the data stored in the memory devicerepresent in particular at least one light sequence for at least onelamp.

It is furthermore preferable for the transmitter to include an interfacefor transmitting data which represent at least one light sequence for atleast one lamp.

The interface preferably constitutes an interface to a PC, in particulara WLAN or USB interface. With appropriate software and a graphical userinterface, this provides the user with the opportunity to program lightsequences on the PC. They are subsequently sent via said interface tothe transmitter, where they are buffered in the memory device. Theselight sequences can subsequently be transmitted to the lamps accordingto the invention, in particular address-specifically, by radio. It isfurthermore preferable for the transmitter to include a solar moduleand/or a compartment for a battery. In this way, particularly inconjunction with a WLAN interface, the transmitter can also be installedindependently of a mains connection.

The transmitter may preferably include an address transmission device,in particular a pushbutton, which is configured after it is activated tosend at least one address to at least one lamp. A particularly simpleoption is for the address to be a sequential address. In particular whensubsequently fitting further lamps in an existing assembly, however, theaddress may also be a predeterminable address.

A preferred refinement of a transmitter according to the inventionincludes a clock generator. The clock generator is then preferablyconfigured to transmit a synchronization signal to at least one lamp atpredeterminable times. This provides the opportunity to synchronize aplurality of lamps combined in an assembly.

Even complex light sequences can thereby be achieved without problems.

It is furthermore preferable for the transmitter to be configured totransmit a switch-on and/or switch-off signal to the at least one lamp.In this way, one or more lamps can be switched on and off in acontrolled way. In this context, it is particularly preferable for thetransmitter furthermore to include a brightness measuring device and beconfigured to transmit the switch-on and/or switch-off signal as afunction of a brightness measured by the brightness measuring device. Inthis way, a multiplicity of lamps can be controlled as a function of thebrightness, without entailing the risk that lamps respectively equippedwith a brightness measuring device, which differ owing to manufacture,may switch on at different times.

Lastly, the transmitter may furthermore include a chronometer device andbe configured to transmit the switch-on and/or switch-off signal atpredeterminable times. This provides the opportunity to automaticallyswitch a multiplicity of lamps on and off almost simultaneously.

Other advantageous embodiments may be found in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be explained in more detail below with the aid of anexemplary embodiment. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the structure of an exemplaryembodiment of a lamp according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a lamp according to theinvention and a transmitter according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation to illustrate the transmissionof data, which represent light sequences, from a PC to a transmitteraccording to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement having a multiplicity of lamps according tothe invention; and

FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of FIG. 4, including a transmitteraccording to the invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the structure of an exemplaryembodiment of a lamp 20 according to the invention. It includes a solarmodule 22, also referred to as a photovoltaic module or solar generator,which is configured in particular to convert sunlight directly intoelectrical power. It includes a panel of glass, usually so-calledsingle-layer safety glass, a transparent plastic layer in which thesolar cells are embedded, and a plurality of monocrystalline orpolycrystalline solar cells which are electrically interconnected bysolder strips. The rear cover is usually made using a weatherproofcomposite plastic sheet. The solar module drives charging electronics24, which in turn are configured to charge an accumulator 26. Theaccumulator supplies a microcontroller 28, a memory device 30 whichincludes an address memory 32, and a step-up transformer 34 which isassigned exhaustive discharge protection 36, and a receiver 27 which isconfigured to receive a radio signal. The step-up transformer 34 drivesthree current regulators 38 a to c, each current regulator beingassigned one color of an RGB LED 40. The current regulators 38 a to care activated color-specifically by the microcontroller 28 and thememory device 30, as well as the address memory 32. The microcontroller28 furthermore drives the step-up transformer 34.

FIG. 2 shows a representation, expanded relative to FIG. 1, of a lamp 20according to the invention. It has a pushbutton 42, the multiplicity ofcomponents of a lamp according to the invention, as presented in FIG. 1,having been omitted for the sake of clarity. The right-hand side of FIG.2 represents a transmitter 44 according to the invention, which in turnhas a pushbutton 46. The symbols 48 indicate that the transmitter sendssignals to at least one lamp 20 according to the invention. When thebutton 42 is pressed, an address stored in the address memory 32 of alamp 20 according to the invention is first erased if appropriate. TheLED 40 flashes slowly until an address is delivered. The delivery of anaddress by the transmitter 44 can be initiated by means of thepushbutton 46. The transmitter may deliver addresses in a sequencestored by the user in the transmitter 44, or successively. After thepushbutton 46 is pressed, the next available address is sent by thetransmitter 44 to at least one lamp 20 according to the invention, whichis waiting for an address to be delivered. The latter acknowledgessuccessful address storage with two double flashes of the LED 40. Insidethe lamp 20, the address is stored in the address memory 32, which mayin particular be an EEPROM.

So long as the address memory 32 is empty, for example during first use,the lamp according to the invention automatically enters the “addresssearch” mode and waits for the allocation of an address by a transmitter44 according to the invention.

After the address has been given, the lamp 20 according to the inventionand the transmitter 44 switch back into normal operation. An existinglight system can thus be extended with very little outlay. Thelimitation of the system resides in the maximum number of addresseswhich can be delivered, which is limited in particular by the software.Addresses which have been delivered but are no longer required may beerased in the software. If a plurality of lamps 20 according to theinvention are simultaneously set to address storage, groups can beformed in the system.

FIG. 3 shows by way of example a transmitter 44 according to theinvention which drives four lamps 20 a to 20 d according to theinvention, of which only the respective LEDs 40 a to 40 d arerepresented for the sake of clarity. The transmitter 44 is connected toa PC 52 via a USB interface 50. On the PC 52, various light sequencesfor the LEDs 40 a to 40 d can be generated and sent straightforwardly tothe transmitter 44. The latter transmits the light sequencesaddress-specifically to the lamps 20 a to 20 d.

The transmitter 44 transmits the individual control sequences, addressedto the lamps 20 a to 20 d according to the invention, once. By means ofthe PC 52, the user can easily send light sequences, the correspondingdata, subsequently via the USB interface 50 to the transmitter 44 wherethey are buffered in a memory device 54. Each lamp 20 a to 20 d storesthe light sequence assigned address-specifically to it in its memorydevice 30. In the present case, the transmitter 44 has a solar module56. As an alternative, the transmitter 44 could be operated by means ofa battery.

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement of 18 lamps 20 according to the invention,only the LED being indicated in each case for the sake of clarity. Eachlamp 20 is assigned an address, in the present case the addresses 1 to18. Each LED 40 is configured as an RGB LED and can display differentcolors at different times. In the present case, the LEDs 40 with theaddresses 2 and 11 shine red, the LED 40 with the address 9 shines greenand the LED 40 with the address 16 shines blue. The other LEDs 40 arenot lit.

FIG. 5 shows the arrangement of FIG. 4, the transmitter 44 for drivingthe lamps 20 additionally being represented here. It has a clockgenerator 58 and a brightness measuring device 60. Each lamp 20 has aquartz oscillator (not shown). The clock generator 58 of the transmitter44 transmits a synchronization signal to the lamps 20 at predeterminedtime intervals, for example every hour. The clock generator isfurthermore configured to switch on or off the system consisting of thetransmitter 44 and a multiplicity of lamps 20 according to theinvention, for example for day/night control, by a timer circuit, etc.The clock generator 58 of the transmitter 44 is furthermore configuredto transmit a switch-on and switch-off signal to the lamps 20 accordingto the invention as a function of a signal delivered by the brightnessmeasuring device 60.

1. A lamp, comprising: at least one LED; a solar module; an accumulator;charging electronics coupled between the solar module and theaccumulator; a drive circuit for the at least one LED, which is coupledto the accumulator; a receiver which is coupled to the accumulator andis configured to receive a radio signal; and a processing device whichis coupled to the accumulator and the receiver and is configured to format least one drive signal for the drive circuit from the data receivedwith the radio signal.
 2. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein thelamp furthermore comprises a memory device coupled to the accumulator.3. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp furthermorecomprises a voltage transformer.
 4. The lamp as claimed in claim 1,wherein the lamp furthermore comprises a microcontroller and a currentsource.
 5. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one LEDis an RGB LED.
 6. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lampcomprises at least three differently colored LEDs.
 7. The lamp asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises an addressmemory which is configured to store an address in it so as to allocateaddress-specific data, transmitted with the radio signal, to the lamp.8. The lamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lamp comprises anactivation device.
 9. The lamp as claimed in claim 8, wherein theactivation device is configured to put the lamp in a state in which anaddress can be entered into the lamp.
 10. The lamp as claimed in claim9, wherein the activation device is configured, after it is activated,to put the lamp into a state in which it is configured to receive anaddress sent by a radio signal and store it in the address memory. 11.The lamp as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lamp is configured toacknowledge successful storage of an address.
 12. The lamp as claimed inclaim 8, wherein the lamp is configured, when no address has yet beenentered in the address memory, without activation of the activationdevice to enter a state in which it is configured to receive an addresssent by a radio signal and store it in the address memory.
 13. The lampas claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing device comprises achronometer device, which for its part comprises a quartz oscillator.14. The lamp as claimed in claim 13, wherein the processing device isconfigured to synchronize the chronometer device with corresponding datareceived with the radio signal, the processing device furthermore beingconfigured to put the drive signal for the drive circuit into a temporalrelationship with a signal emitted by the chronometer device.
 15. A lampsystem, comprising: a lamp, comprising: at least one LED; a solarmodule; an accumulator; charging electronics coupled between the solarmodule and the accumulator; a drive circuit for the at least one LED,which is coupled to the accumulator; a receiver which is coupled to theaccumulator and is configured to receive a radio signal; and aprocessing device which is coupled to the accumulator and the receiverand is configured to form at least one drive signal for the drivecircuit from the data received with the radio signal; and a transmitterfunctioning as a controller for generating a radio signal to drive thelamp.
 16. The lamp system as claimed in claim 15, wherein thetransmitter of the lamp system has a memory device for storing the datato be sent with the radio signal.
 17. The lamp system as claimed inclaim 16, wherein the data stored in the memory device represent atleast one light sequence for at least one lamp.
 18. The lamp system asclaimed in claim 15, wherein the transmitter of the lamp systemcomprises an interface for transmitting data which represent at leastone light sequence for at least one lamp.
 19. The lamp system as claimedin claim 18, wherein the interface constitutes an interface to a PC. 20.The lamp system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the transmitter of thelamp system comprises at least one of a solar module and a compartmentfor a battery.
 21. The lamp system as claimed in claim 15, wherein thetransmitter of the lamp system comprises an address transfer device,which is configured after it is activated to send at least one addressto at least one lamp.
 22. The lamp system as claimed in claim 21,wherein the address is an address selected from a group consisting of: asequential address; and a predeterminable address.
 23. The lamp systemas claimed in claim 15, wherein the transmitter of the lamp systemcomprises a clock generator.
 24. The lamp system as claimed in claim 23,wherein the clock generator is configured to transmit a synchronizationsignal to at least one lamp at predeterminable times.
 25. The lampsystem as claimed in claim 15, wherein the transmitter of the lampsystem is configured to transmit at least one of a switch-on signal anda switch-off signal to the at least one lamp.
 26. The lamp system asclaimed in claim 25, wherein the transmitter of the lamp systemfurthermore comprises a brightness measuring device and is configured totransmit the at least one of the switch-on signal and the switch-offsignal as a function of a brightness measured by the brightnessmeasuring device.
 27. The lamp system as claimed in claim 25, whereinthe transmitter of the lamp system furthermore comprises a chronometerdevice and is configured to transmit the at least one of the switch-onsignal and the switch-off signal at predeterminable times.